Factors associated with mortality and morbidity in small intestinal volvulus in horses

OBJECTIVE: To determine historical, physical, and clinical factors that may affect morbidity and mortality in horses with small intestinal volvulus unrelated to other causes (e.g., incarceration, lipoma, etc.). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: Client-owned horses (115), aged 1 month to 21 years. Methods: Data were obtained from medical records, identified by computer search and manual review. Continuous variables were compared between affected and non-affected horses with Mann-Whitney U-tests and non-continuous variables with Fisher's exact test (2 x 2 tables) or chi(2)-tests (larger tables). Stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to develop a multivariable model of the risk factors, taking account of confounding and interaction. RESULTS: Eighty percent of horses recovered from surgery survived to hospital discharge. Neither age, breed, nor sex was related to mortality. Survivors had a significantly lower heart rate, shorter capillary refill time, and better mucous membrane color. Variables associated with worsening cardiovascular status, increased hemoconcentration, and exudation of cells and protein into peritoneal fluid were significantly associated with non-survival. After recovery from surgery, the most serious complication was colic, which was significantly associated with non-survival (P=.028) as was a second celiotomy (P<.01). Both of these complications were associated with a jejunocecostomy during the first surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in the clinical and clinicopathologic signs were identified between survivors and non-survivors. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These findings can be used to make a scientific assessment of prognosis in the pre-operative, operative, and post-operative management of horses with small intestinal volvulus.     

Intraocular osteosarcoma in a dog

A 10-year-old German shepherd dog was presented with unilateral uveitis and hyphaema. Treatment was unsuccessful and the eye was enucleated. Intraocular osteosarcoma was diagnosed by histological examination.     

Metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma and diffuse hyperplastic gastritis resembling human Menétrier's disease in a camel (Camelus ferus bactrianus)

A captive 16-year-old male camel (Camelus ferus bactrianus) was euthanized after a prolonged period of inappetence leading to cachexia. At necropsy, there was a 7 cm large, tan, firm, well-demarcated nodule in the tunica muscularis and serosa of the distal region of C3. Histologically, a gastric adenocarcinoma was diagnosed. Numerous metastases were found in the liver and the hepatic lymph nodes, in the wall of the portal vein and the aorta, in the lung, heart, and pleura parietalis. Osseous metaplasia was found within the pleural and aortic metastases. In the mucosa of the glandular region of the C3 compartment a diffuse marked hypertrophy of rugae resembling cerebral convolutions was observed. The lesion was characterized by glandular hyperplasia and stromal inflammation and oedema. These changes closely resembled Menétrier's disease described in humans. To our knowledge, this is the first report of concomitant metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric hyperplasia in a camel.     

Canine serum protein patterns using high-resolution electrophoresis (HRE)

Serum protein values were determined in 26 healthy dogs using agarose gel electrophoresis (SPE), splitting the electrophoretic separation into six regions: albumin, alpha(1), alpha(2), beta(1), beta(2)and gamma globulins. High-resolution electrophoresis (HRE) was used to separate single proteins. Serum proteins from dogs (26 healthy and 20 affected by various diseases) were then characterized by electrophoretic immunofixation (IFE) and Sudan black staining on HRE film. Haemoglobin and normal canine plasma and serum were used to identify haptoglobin and fibrinogen, respectively.In the standard pattern, determined by HRE, the following proteins were identified: albumin, alpha(1)-lipoprotein (alpha(1)-region), haptoglobin and alpha(2)-macroglobulin (alpha(2)-region), beta -lipoprotein and C3 (beta(1)-region), transferrin and IgM (beta(2)-region), IgG (mostly in gamma -region and partly in beta(2)-region). The HRE pattern shown by healthy dogs could be compared with those of dogs affected by various diseases to obtain clinical information.     

Genetic and environmental parameters for traits derived from the Brody growth curve and their relationships with weaning weight in Angus cattle

Direct and maternal genetic and environmental variances and covariances were estimated for weaning weight and growth and maturing traits derived from the Brody growth curve. Data consisted of field records of weight measurements of 3,044 Angus cows and 29,943 weaning weight records of both sexes. Growth traits included weights and growth rates at 365 and 550 d, respectively. Maturing traits included the age of animals when they reached 65% of mature weight, relative growth rates, and degrees of maturity at 365 and 550 d. Variance and covariance components were estimated by REML from a set of two-trait animal models including weaning weight paired with a growth or maturing trait. Weaning and cow contemporary groups were defined as fixed effects. Random effects for weaning weight included direct genetic, maternal genetic, and permanent environmental effects. For growth and maturing traits, a random direct genetic effect was included in the model. Direct heritability estimates for growth traits ranged from .46 to .52 and for maturing traits from .31 to .34. Direct genetic correlations between weaning weight and weights and growth rates at 365 and 550 d ranged from .56 to .70. Correlations of maternal weaning genetic effects with direct genetic effects on weights at 365 and 550 d were positive, but those with growth rates were negative. Between weaning weight and degrees of maturity at both 365 and 550 d, direct genetic correlation estimates were .55 and maternal genetic correlations estimates were -.05, respectively. Direct genetic correlations of weaning weight with relative growth rates and age at 65% of mature weight ranged from .04 to .06, and maternal-direct genetic correlation estimates ranged from -.50 to -.56, respectively. These estimates indicate that higher genetic capacity for milk production was related to higher body mass and degrees of maturity between 365 and 550 d of age but was negatively related to absolute and relative growth rates in that life stage.     

Use of an absorbable haemostatic gauze product to control bleeding in 20 horses

The objective of this study was to report our experience with an absorbable haemostatic gauze product in 20 horses with traumatic or surgical haemorrhage. The product is made from oxidised, regenerated cellulose (ORC) and is approved for external use and currently being studied to control internal bleeding in surgical settings in human subjects. Treated horses were from both practice and university settings. Signalment, anatomic location, underlying cause of bleeding and outcome were recorded in the medical record. The size of gauze, approximate time until bleeding stopped, and pre- and post-ORC adjunctive treatments were also recorded. The ORC was used in a variety of anatomic locations, including castration site, foot, flank incisions, distal limb, tooth extraction sites and the perineal region. The bleeding stopped or slowed dramatically within 90 s in 15 of 20 cases. There were no recorded complications in any of the cases. While this clinical report does not attempt to prove efficacy of the product in horses, it does show that this ORC product, which has been approved for use as a haemostatic agent in human subjects, is safe and of practical value, and may be a useful and viable option for the control of haemorrhage in a variety of equine clinical settings.     

In vitro studies on feline panleucopaenia virus. Standardisation of haemagglutination-inhibition test for feline panleucopaenia virus antibody

Standardised procedure for obtaining reproducible haemagglutination-inhibition results for FPV antibody which correlate with serum-neutralization titres was described. Optimal conditions were found to be Alsevers anticoagulant, PBS/0.05% BSA (pH 6.8) as buffer, especially washed round bottom microplates, determination of maximally sensitive porcine erythrocytes, use of reproducible erythrocyte concentrations, inactivation of serum samples at 56 degrees C for 30 min and serum treatment with koalin pH 9.0. The concentration of erythrocyte used for estimation of haemagglutination units in H1 test should not differ from that used as indicator in the test. Predilution of serum beyond 1:4 associated with false results. Reproducible method for removing natural agglutinins in serum by adsorption with erythrocytes was described.     

Effect of chemotherapy on semen characteristics of Balami rams infected with Anaplasma ovis

Six intact Balami rams were experimentally infected with Anaplasma ovis. Another six were infected one month after splenectomy and six others served as controls. Clinical manifestations of the disease, first observed between 5 to 7 days post-infection, were more severe and prolonged in the splenectomised-infected than in the intact-infected group. There was progressive deterioration in semen quality, which was also significantly more severe and prolonged in the splenectomised than in the intact-infected rams. Following treatment with long-acting terramycine, clinical recovery occurred earlier in the intact-infected (1–4 weeks) than in the splenectomised-infected group (5–7 weeks). A similar pattern was observed in post-treatment improvement in the spermiogram. However, although the infected animals recovered clinically by 1–7 weeks post-treatment, restoration of the reproductive potential did not occur for 20 to 25 weeks. It appears that stress factors may aggravate the deliterious effects of anaplasmosis.     

The occurrence of Fusarium varieties and their mycotoxins in silo corn. 2. The formation of zearalenone in the field by artificial infection of silo corn with Fusarium culmorum (W. G. Smith) Sacc

The formation of zearalenone in a maize plot artificially infected with Fusarium culmorum was studied. The zearalenone concentration steeply increased only in the 8th week after inoculation and reached a maximum value of ca. 7 ppm, whereas zearalenone could not be detected in the control variants. The crude nutrient and dry matter content was not significantly influenced by the fungal infection. The infected crop showed average ear dry weights distinctly lower than that of the control variants (P less than or equal to 0.001). Apart from zearalenone, the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol was qualitatively detected in the infected maize. The toxicological relevance of the ascertained zearalenone content with regard to the health of dairy cattle and pigs was discussed.